When you are typing correspondence on a regular basis (all day type of thing), it makies sense to use the shortcut key to open a new blank document....

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "N"

The result:Instead of clicking on File and then New - rather use the Ctrl N to create a new document, much quicker and you don't need to touch the mouse.

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "P"

The result:Instead of using the mouse to move and click on the menu item, use the above quick key to instantly bring up the printing window. Remember before printing think about the trees!

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "I"

The result:Same as the Bold shortcut, but gives you Italics

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "U"

The result:The same as bold, but now it underlines the text. You can also use all three at the same time, should you need it.

The key sequence:

"Winkey" + "M"

(The "Winkey" is normally between the Ctrl and Alt keys)

The result:Minimize all of your open application windows instantly. A great way to stop the boss from seeing the Facebook page open of your PC!

The key sequence:

"Winkey" + "D"

(The "Winkey" is normally between the Ctrl and Alt keys)

The result:This will get you to your computer Desktop area in an instant. For Windows 7 users, you can also click the vertical bar to the right of your date and time in the bottom right of the screen.

The key sequence:

"Alt" + "F4"

The result:

When you have an application open, like MS Word for example - using Alt F4 will close the application and all open windows associated with the application - basically an equivalent to using the "File" "Close" menu.

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "F4"

The result:

This is similar to the Alt F4, but only closes the active window, so in MS Word if you have 2 documents open, it will only close the current window and leave MS Word running with the other document.

The key sequence:

Function key "F3"

The result:

This allows you to launch the search module in most Windows applications - including the desktop area, which will allow you to search

The key sequence:

"Alt" + "Print Screen"

The result:

It "captures" the current active application screen to the clipboard, so that you can then paste it into other applications. Often software vendors want you to record the error you get in their prospective applications and this will capture only the active screen, so that you don't have to cut and adjust the dimensions to be able to send them the image. You don't need a graphics program, pasting to MS Word will work just as well.

The below capture is a normal "Print Screen"

The below image is using the "Alt" + "Print Screen" to capture just the active application.

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + Alt" + "Del"

The result:

Allow your Windows operating system to close just the application that has frozen and then to open the application again to continue working. Remember this will not save your current document, but will help your computer from corrupting data in the future.

This will bring up the option screen - select "Start Task Manager" from the list and then highlight the bad application, and click on the "End Task" button. You can then close the Task Manager and continue as normal.

Use this after you have tried closing the application in all the correct procedures - like the "File Close", or the big red "X" in the top right. This way of closing applications is not perfect, but better than switching off your computer to fix hung applications.

The key sequence:

"Alt" + "Tab"

The result:

Jump between the open applications on your Windows computer.

The key sequence:

"Alt" + "Shift" + "Tab"

The result:

Jump backwards between the open applications on your Windows computer. If the Alt Tab is forwards, this is backwards ;-)

The key sequence:

"Win" + "Tab"

The result:

Jump between the open applications on your Windows Vista or Windows 7 computer in a 3D view. Very Cool!

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "→"

The result:

The cursor will jump to the beginning of the next word.

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "←"

The result:

The cursor will jump to the beginning of the current word.

The key sequence:

"Shift" + "End"

The result:

The cursor will jump to the end of the current line and highlight the enter line of text from the current cursor position.

The key sequence:

"Shift" + "Home"

The result:

The cursor will jump to the beginning of the current line and highlight the enter line of text from the current cursor position.

The key sequence:

The "End" key

The result:

The cursor will jump to the end of the current line.

The key sequence:

The Ctrl + "End" key

The result:

The cursor will jump to the end of the current document.

The key sequence:

The "Home" key

The result:

The cursor will jump to the beginning of the current line.

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "Home" key

The result:

The cursor will jump to the beginning of the current document.

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "Shift" + ":" and then the character, eg. e

The result

The result:

The Afrikaans "deelteken", in this case - "ë" - or called a "diaresis" in English.

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "Shift" + "^"and then the character, eg. e

The result:

The Afrikaans "kappie" (sirkumfleks), in this case - "ê" - referred to as a "circumflex" in English

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "`" and then the character, eg e

The result:

The Afrikaans "gravis-aksent", in this case - "è" - in English an "accent grave"

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "'" and then the character, eg e

The result:

The Afrikaans "akuut-aksent", in this case - "é" - and in English an "accent aigu"

Remember you can also change the MS Office products to work, spell and report screen messages in Afrikaans as well, have a look at our previous article on MS Word in Afrikaans.:

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "V"

The result:

Whatever information you have gathered with your Ctrl C, Ctrl X and any other means, can now be pasted into the document. If using paste from pull-down menus, there are often types of "paste" - like paste as unformatted text etc - but more on that in a future tip.

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "Z"

The result:

A quick way to undo the last command or typing - and if you are really undecided, you can use Shift Ctrl + Z to redo the last command.

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "C"

The result:

Copy the selected text into the clipboard (an area where all of your temporary text/images are stored when copy and pasting). Or in Windows terms - "Copy" the selected area. Very similar to the Ctrl X, but does not remove the text thereafter.

Not exactly Ctrl C, but a form of copying ;-)

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "X"

The result:

Copy the selected text into the clipboard (an area where all of your temporary text/images are stored when copy and pasting) and then remove the selected text all in one process. Or in Windows terms - "Cut" the selected area

The key sequence:

"Ctrl" + "A"

The result:

Select everything possible of selecting on the current window. This is a great shortcut when doing a lot of copying from one window to another. A useful shortcut when using Ctrl C or X or V.

The key sequence:

"Alt" + "E"

The result:

This is used to bring up the Edit menu on the application that is currently active.

This is a good shortcut, but with time, you will replace most of the "Alt E" with direct shortcuts like "Ctrl C" etc.

In Office 2010, you will not get the Edit menu, but it will ask you to either continue with the old key sequence or just abort the key shortcut.

A quick tip about Office shortcuts, remember than pressing the Alt key on it's own brings up the quick key letters on the menu ribbon, so that at a glance you know which letter does what action.

The key sequence:

"Alt" + "F"

The result:

This is used to bring up your file menu on the application that is currently active.

I use it a lot in applications where they hide the menus away, like Firefox, Media Player etc - a simple "Alt + F" and there she is!